This invention generally relates to shortening in the form of solids such as pellets or chunks. The shortening is primarily vegetable oil or low-fat or fat substitute, or combination thereof, in a solid form suitable for uses requiring a non-liquid which is still able to be poured or metered. More particularly, the invention relates to pelletized shortening and the like which resists clumping under room temperature conditions which are encountered in many uses. The pellets are formed by extruding a flow of solidified shortening through extrusion orifices which impart a desired pellet size and shape upon passing therethrough.
Pourable shortening products are generally known. In one approach, shortening has been frozen and passed through a meat grinder in an effort to obtain solid shortening pellets. This approach is somewhat difficult and not particularly satisfactory such as from the point of view of consistency of product. Another approach is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,710. Hydrogenated fats are heated, rapidly chilled, treated and formed into small segments or pieces which are said to be particularly resistant to agglomeration at elevated temperatures. Such products can require involved processing conditions and equipment and can produce products having higher solid fat indices than required or desired for certain applications, particularly baking applications.
In accordance with the present invention, pelletized shortening is provided and prepared by cooling molten shortening materials, for example partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or a lipid-like fat substitute, solidifying same to a desired extent, flowing the cooled and solidifying shortening material through an elongated tube to form a flow of solid shortening within the elongated tube, and passing the flow of solid shortening through a plurality of orifices at a downstream end portion of the elongated tube to thereby extrude the solid shortening flow through the orifices as a plurality of shortening pellet flows which are each of a cross-sectional area which is reduced from that of the flow through the elongated tube, thus forming the shortening pellets. The solid shortening pellets, without requiring any further treatment, resist clumping together at a temperature of at least about 70.degree. F.
It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide an improved process, apparatus, and pelletized shortening prepared thereby.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved shortening in the form of chunks or pellets which can be poured or metered and used for creating special effects in baking operations, such as a tenderizing effect in dough products.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved pelletized shortening which resists clumping together at a temperature of at least about 70.degree. F. while having a solid fat index profile that is tailored for particular end uses.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved, simplified process and apparatus for extruding shortening material directly into pellets.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from and clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.